Creating the conditions for long-term prosperity

Cambridge Ahead is a deeply committed and long-term voice for the Cambridge economy. Its membership comprises over 50 employers with a workforce of over 40,000 people in the city region.

Cambridge Ahead is dedicated to good growth that improves quality of life.

Democratic leadership and good governance are structural foundations for a thriving place. As Cambridge is experiencing fast growth, playing a leading role in the national economy, and representing the UK on the global stage, these foundations bear a greater weight of responsibility.

The current complexity of local governance has meant that progress towards good growth, and delivery of growth infrastructure in particular, has been harder than should be the case. Cambridge Ahead members regularly cite it as a key barrier that is holding employers back.

Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) are the right reforms to enhance local governance and create better conditions for long-term prosperity and place-leadership.

Cambridge Ahead is committed to working with Local Authorities leading the LGR process locally to add insight from industry, help convene cross-sector dialogue and ultimately support the process to be a success.

 

Implementation Imperative – The Case for Cambridge

The immediate priority is for Government to recognise that Local Government Reorganisation in the Cambridge city region is mission-critical to growth and should be implemented without delay.

Government’s stated aim is to achieve LGR for the whole of England in this Parliament.  It is common for all Governments to run into headwinds, constraints and distractions, our view is that this part of the country in particular, with its combination of economic importance and local governance complexity, needs LGR implementation as a matter of priority.

 

Appraising the Best Option – A Once in a Lifetime Chance

Local Authorities in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have announced preferred options, which they will now consult on locally and with the Government.

Cambridge Ahead is not advocating for one particular option or solution. Cambridge Ahead has developed a set of suggested success factors, aligned with Government’s stated evaluation criteria, which we put forward to decision-makers for consideration.

 

Government Evaluation Criteria CA Suggested Success Factors
Enable stronger community engagement and deliver genuine opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment 1.      Proposals should align as much as possible with the functional economic area of Cambridge.

This change alone is a critical success factor for the region. Functional economic areas are not only an economic lens but also has a strong correlation with the community lens, where people identify as their local area.

2.      This should be seen as a one-time opportunity to create meaningful administrative areas, rather than being bound by existing boundaries for ease
The right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks. As a guiding principle, new councils should aim for a population of 500,000 or more 3.      Government should consider future growth potential in the population size assessment and not be bound by an arbitrary number with only short-term relevance. More important is that new councils align with functional economic areas.
Prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens 4.      Local authority functions that support good growth are maintained through the transition and are designed to operate more efficiently and effectively in the future.

5.      Funding arrangements for new councils should provide for core public services to be delivered well – with the Cambridge area being an example of a place where quality of life applies to attracting and retaining global talent, as well as the local community.
Demonstrate how local councils have sought to work together in coming to a view that best meets local needs and is informed by local views 6.      There should be demonstrable local support from the business and employer community.
Support devolution arrangements 7.      New structures across the CPCA area should establish sustainable unitary councils that can thrive in their own right, as well as interact meaningfully as a Strategic Board with the Mayor.

8.      Cambridge is in receipt of other Government interventions beyond devolution, notably the Cambridge Growth Company. New structures should work as a coherent whole in this context too.

 

Next Steps – Gearing Up

Cambridge Ahead will remain an active partner in the next phase of activity, which will be led by local authorities, and will proactively engage its membership as needed.

Cambridge Ahead is most focussed on the long-term opportunities this reorganisation will bring and is invested in working with all partners to gear up for the new arrangements to be the most effective and progressive model they can.